Low voltage low amperage flood light



July 26, 1966 c. s. KRUCKI ETAL LOW VOLTAGE LOW AMPERAGE FLOOD LIGHT Filed April 1, 1964 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,263,069 LOW VOLTAGE LOW AMPERAGE FLOOD LIGHT Charles S. Krucki, 24823 Beierman, and Granville W. Anderson, 27694 Mound Road, both of Warren, Mich. Filed Apr. 1, 1964, Ser. No. 356,524 3 Claims. (Cl. 240-3) This invention relates to electrical accessories and has particular reference to a low voltage low amperage flood light or spot light, suitable for indoor or outdoor use.

An object of the invention is to provide a low voltage low amperage flood or spot light, which has an exceptional degree of portability, when desired, yet it may be permanently mounted indoors or out of doors to light up an airplane landing strip, a sign, an advertising place, or a swimming pool, or it may serve as a yard light to illuminate a parking or drive way area, a Christmas tree decorative light, or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flood light of the character indicated, which is suitable for out of doors use, even in wet weather, without danger of having the device short out, or shock the user.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flood light of the character indicated, which may be safely submerged in a swimming pool for lighting up the water in the pool.

Another object of the invention is to employ a conventional low voltage sealed beam lamp with a handle, or other means, which may be mounted temporarily, or permanently, on or near any object desired to be illuminated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flood light of low amperage with a high degree of luminosity, which will safely meet the rigid inspection requirements of out of door applications, without the use of heavy insulation.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, forming part of the within disclosure, in which drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a house, to which is attached the device embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, exploded, perspective view, with parts broken away, showing the transformer assembly comprising part of our invention.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational View of the lamp shown in FIG. I, mounted on a bracket, which is shown attached to the side of the house, and used in place of the stake for holding the lamp as shown in FIG. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, it will be understood that in the embodiment herein disclosed the reference character 7 indicates in general a house, or other building, which is provided with an out of doors electrical outlet 8, which is connected to a source of 110 volt electrical power 9, to which is connected, as is hereinafter described, the transformer assembly 10, from which extends the 12 volt electrical wires 11, which supply electrical energy to the lamp 12. The lamp 12 is preferably a conventional 12 volt Sealed Beam type such as used in the headlights of an automobile.

The lamp 12 is carried in a housing 13, which is split at the bottom and provided with a pair of lugs 14. The lugs 14, are bored to receive a bolt which is provided with a nut 16, whereby the lugs 14 may be drawn together, to clamp the housing 13 tightly about the periphery of the lamp 12, to hold it in secure position, and to seal the interior of the housing against the entrance of moisture, and the like, although we have submerged the lamp 12 in water with and without the housing 13 attached thereto, and have found that even under such conditions the lamp 12, because of its low voltage, and low amperage will not short out, or shock anyone using it, even under water. The wires 11 need not be heavily insulated.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the lamp 12 and housing 13 are supported on a stake 17, which may be driven in the ground, as shown in FIG. 1, or may be held in the hand to make the lamp 12 highly portable. The stake 17 has a reduced apertured portion. 18, which also receives the bolt 15, for holding the lamp in position.

In FIG. 3 I show the lamp 12 and housing 13 mounted on an L-shaped bracket 19, which may be mounted by screws 20, or other suitable means on the side of the house 7, in place of the stake 17. The bracket 19 would be highly desirable for a permanent mounting for the lamp for lighting up a driveway, parking area, Christmas tree, or any other type of element.

The lamp 12, such as herein disclosed, covers a great range and produces a great amount of illumination, and is highly desirable for out of doors use because damp and stormy weather will not affect it.

I will not describe in detail the transformer assembly 10 shown in FIG. 1. The transformer assembly 10 is housed in a box like member comprising integrated bot- F tom 21, top 22, side members 23 and 24-, and members 25 and 26 complete the housing for the transformer. The members 25 and 26 are preferably made of nonconductive material and are attached to the transformer by means of machine screws 27, which extend through the counterbored holes 28, and are received in threaded lugs 29, attached to the transformer.

As in conventional practice, the transformer includes a laminated core 30, a primary coil 31, and a secondary coil 32.

The end member 26 is provided with a male electrical connection 33. The lugs of the connection 33 are received in the electrical outlet 8, comprising part of the domestic electric system of the house 7. The members 33, and the leads 34, 34A and 35, carry the volt energy to the primary coil 31 of the transformer. The lead 34 of the 110 volt input connects to one side of a switch 36, which is provided with a switch lever 37, so that the 110 volt input may be turned on or off at will.

The switch 36 is connected, at its other side, through the lead 34A to the primary coil 31.

The secondary coil 32 has its leads 38 and 39 connected to a female electrical member 40, which is mounted on the interior of the plate 25, and has elements 41 for receiving the prongs 42 of a plug 43, which is electrically connected to the end of the low voltage line 11.

When the members 33 are plugged into the receptable 8, and the switch 36 is turned on, the 110 volt A.C. current goes through the primary coil 31. .As in conventional practice the induction created in the primary coil 31 creates a 12 volt DC. voltage in the secondary coil 32, which low voltage is carried to the lamp 12 through the members 38, 39, 41, 42, and 11.

It is believed that the operation of the device is obvious from the foregoing description.

Having described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a low voltage, direct current, electric lamp, portable and pivotable means for supporting said lamp, a source of high voltage, alternating current electricity and means connected to said lamp and to said high voltage source for transforming said high voltage electricity to low voltage electricity suitable for use by said lamp, said last named means comprising a transformer, a housing for said transformer; one side of said housing having a plug secured thereto and arranged to be received in a receptable of a conventional domestic electrical system, said plug being electrically connected to the primary coil of said transformer, another side of said housing having a fitting secured thereto, said fitting being electrically connected to the secondary coil of said tnansformer and arranged to receive a plug carried on a low voltage line which is electrically connected to said lamp.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a low voltage, direct current, electric lamp, portable and pivotable means for supporting said lamp, a

source of high voltage, alternating current electricity and means connected to said lamp and to said high voltage source for transforming said high voltage electricity to low voltage electricity suitable for use by said lamp, said last named means comprising a transformer, a housing for said transformer; one side of said housing having a plug secured thereto and arranged to be received in a receptacle of a conventional domestic electrical system, said plug being electrically connected to the primary coil of said transformer, another side of said housing having a fitting secured thereto, said fitting being electrically connected to the secondary coil of said transformer and arranged to receive a plug carried on a low voltage line which is electrically connected to said lamp, the sides of said housing carrying said first named plug and said fitting being formed of a non-conductive material.

3'. In a device of thecharacter described, the combination of a low voltage, direct current, electric lamp, portable and pivotable means for supporting said lamp, a source of high voltage, alternating current electricity and means connected to said lamp and to said high voltage source for transforming said high voltage electricity to low voltage electricity suitable for use by said lamp, said last named means comprising a transformer, a housing for said transformer; one side of said housing having a plug secured thereto and arranged to be received in a receptable of a conventional domestic electrical system, said plug being electrically connected to the primary coil of said transformer, another side of said housing having a fitting secured thereto, said fitting being electrically connected to the secondary coil of said transformer and arranged to receive a plug carried on a low voltage line which is electrically connected to said lamp, there being a switch on the interior of said housing and having means on the exterior of said housing for operating the switch, said switch being electrically connected to said high voltage source, and to the said primary coil of said transformer.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,637,046 7/1927 Montsinger. 3,179,366 4/1965 Lowell 240-52.l X

NORTON ANSI-1BR, Primary Examiner. I

CHARLES R. RHODES, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A DEVICE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, THE COMBINATION OF A LOWER VOLTAGE, DIRECT CURRENT, ELECTRIC LAMP, PORTABLE AND PIVOTABLE MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID LAMP, A SOURCE OF HIGH VOLTAGE, ALTERNATING CURRENT ELECTRICITY AND MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID LAMP AND TO SAID HIGH VOLTAGE SOURCE FOR TRANSFORMING SAID HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRICITY TO LOW VOLTAGE ELECTRICITY SUITABLE FOR USE BY SAID LAMP, SAID LAST NAMED MEANS COMPRISING A TRANSFORMER, A HOUSIN G FOR SAID TRANSFORMER; ONE SIDE OF SAID HOUSING HAVING A PLUG SECURED THERETO AND ARRANGED TO BE RECEIVED IN A 